1966ish Hercules
10-09-17, 05:41 PM
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1966ish Hercules
Just wanted to share my latest find. The hub is stamped "66". I was able to overhaul the hubs, headset, BB, and twist grip shifter. It rides quite well with no rust. Someone used steel wool at some point on all the chrome, but it still shows well. I only needed to buy a new indicator chain and cotter pins
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1abPbbD09f0IaWm62
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1abPbbD09f0IaWm62
Last edited by restlessswind; 10-10-17 at 01:01 PM.
10-09-17, 06:44 PM
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Just wanted to share my latest find. The hub is stamped "66". I was able to overhaul the hubs, headset, BB, and twist grip shifter. It rides quite well with no rust. Someone used steel wool at some point on all the chrome, but it still shows well. I only needed to buy a new indicator chain and cotter pins
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1abPbbD09f0IaWm62
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1abPbbD09f0IaWm62
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10-09-17, 06:54 PM
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Very nice! Although that kind of saddle scares me.
10-09-17, 07:30 PM
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I did get a new saddle and seatpost. That seat is hard steel pan on springs, covered in decaying vinyl
Last edited by restlessswind; 10-10-17 at 12:51 PM.
10-09-17, 07:53 PM
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My first C&V bike was a black painted version of your Hercules. Not wanting to mess with it before I hit the road, I completed a brief but painful overnight camping trip with 60 mile ride on that original saddle. I still have nightmares about it from time to time.
10-09-17, 07:58 PM
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Gorgeous bike! Great find.
My 64 Sports has the same type of saddle and also a twist grip. How did you overhaul it? As i remember these are prone to wear allowing the gears to slip out. Mine has no shifter cable atm so I'm not sure how good it is...lol
My 64 Sports has the same type of saddle and also a twist grip. How did you overhaul it? As i remember these are prone to wear allowing the gears to slip out. Mine has no shifter cable atm so I'm not sure how good it is...lol
10-09-17, 08:10 PM
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I have that bike and same color scheme. My chain guard is different though. I love that color. I got mine in 1967 as a christmas present.
10-09-17, 09:45 PM
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Nice pick up. I need to find me a nice 3 speed project like this one. I have a disassembled Peugeot uo8 (?) in my shed that I lost interest in. Perhaps the coming rainy season will give me the umph I need to get it put back together.
But I think less speeds would give me more umph.
But I think less speeds would give me more umph.
Last edited by campngolf; 10-09-17 at 10:00 PM.
10-10-17, 11:52 AM
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I had one almost identical to that. It had the Americanized chainguard, though. The twist shifter was disappointing. Others have complained about those, too, but if you don't like it, you can use a regular trigger shifter.
Check out our long-running 3-speed thread.
Check out our long-running 3-speed thread.
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10-10-17, 12:55 PM
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There is a circular spring/clip to separate the twist from the housing. Inside is a spring loading a ball bearing for indexing. I just cleaned out the inside with kerosene on a rag and and greased it up with bearing grease.
10-10-17, 01:09 PM
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10-10-17, 01:22 PM
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10-10-17, 01:38 PM
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I had one almost identical to that. It had the Americanized chainguard, though. The twist shifter was disappointing. Others have complained about those, too, but if you don't like it, you can use a regular trigger shifter.
Check out our long-running 3-speed thread.
Check out our long-running 3-speed thread.
Also the grips are very small and not so ergonomic.
10-10-17, 01:42 PM
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The hub doesn't shift under load, with any shifter. That's in the design. You can wear the hub out if you shift under load, so pedal very lightly, or coast, while shifting.
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10-10-17, 01:43 PM
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I may very well ditch the twist grips for a standard shifter. I will put the seat and grips in a box. It's a shame as I really like to keep vintage stuff as close to 100% original just for the "cool" factor.Nothing is as cool as the "stick shift" levers that sit on the top tube. I used to want that so much when I was a kid.
10-10-17, 01:46 PM
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I may very well ditch the twist grips for a standard shifter. I will put the seat and grips in a box. It's a shame as I really like to keep vintage stuff as close to 100% original just for the "cool" factor.Nothing is as cool as the "stick shift" levers that sit on the top tube. I used to want that so much when I was a kid.
Do you know if the grip can be removed from that shifter to put a new one on? I would think so?
10-10-17, 01:47 PM
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10-10-17, 01:49 PM
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I think so, but I wouldn't know where to source a new grip. It's thicker than the left grip (like a motorcycle throttle grip)
10-10-17, 01:52 PM
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BTW this is the 64, she's rough but coming along:
1964 Raleigh Sports 3 speed by David Ashe, on FlickrHere's the progress thread up till now:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...s-3-speed.html
10-10-17, 08:07 PM
#20
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Were these Hercules models sold in bike shops or Dept stores? (ie. Woolworth or Montgomery Ward?) I found a Royce Union out there with the exact same component set as this Hercules. I believe they were Dept. Store (Gemco or Zody's) brands? I gather this info from unreliable sources though.
Actually, my parents used trading stamps and got it from a catalog. I think they were Top Value stamps.
Last edited by JGM411; 10-10-17 at 08:40 PM.
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